Course Syllabus

Email responses will be given between 9:00am – 5:00pm, M-F.

Allow for 48 business hours for a response throughout the week and 72 hours on weekends. All questions and concerns for Dr. Rani should use the official communication approved by UF - Email  (Not slack).

Join Slack here. Slack is a place to build community with your peers. Slack is managed by the teaching assistant. Please keep all communication class-related, positive, and non-offensive. It is recommended that all questions and concerns for Dr. Rani be addressed through the official communication approved by UF via email.  (Not slack).

Announcement notifications should be activated in your settings so you are aware of class announcements in a timely manner.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe what software engineering is and why it is important.
2. Identify ethical and professional issues that are important for software engineers.
3. Use the Agile “Scrum” Software Development Process.
4. Work on a team to complete a large-scale software product.
5. Work with an existing code base.

Required Textbook

Engineering Software Products: An Introduction to Modern Software Engineering

• Ian Sommerville
• Pearson; 1st edition (May 19, 2019)
• ISBN 9780135211168

Recommended Textbook

Essential Scrum

• Mike Cohen and Ron Jeffries
• Addison-Wesley Professional; 1st edition (July 26, 2012)
• ISBN: 9780137043293

COP 3530 - Data Structures and Algorithms

The College of Engineering requires students to have a mobile computing device (laptop) with 802.11 WiFi capability and webcam. Preferred methods for public and private communication regarding the course and a method for resolving technical issues (e.g., UF Help Desk (Links to an external site.), 352-392-4357).

The University of Florida expects students entering an online program to acquire computer hardware and software appropriate to their degree program. Most computers are capable of meeting the following general requirements. A student’s computer configuration should include:

• Webcam
• Microphone
• Broadband connection to the internet and related equipment (cable/DSL modem)
• Microsoft Office Suite installed (provided by the university)

Individual colleges may have additional requirements or recommendations, which students should review before starting their program.

To complete your tasks in this course, you will need a basic understanding of operating a computer and using word processing software.

There is no supply fee for this course.

Zoom is an easy-to-use video conferencing service available to all UF students, faculty, and staff that allows for meetings of up to 100 participants.

You can find resources and help using Zoom at the University of Florida's Zoom (Links to an external site.) website.

Students are strongly recommended to listen to all lectures and attend all classes and lab discussions. Attendance is required for lab discussions and will be taken on a weekly basis.  Attendance for labs will be counted towards your participation grade. Up to 2 days of absence is permissible but not encouraged for lab discussion. Most Fridays, there will be an in-class activity that requires students' presence. Some Wednesdays also might require attendance. 

Assignments are due by the time listed on Canvas. Assignments and project work can be turned in late with a cascading deduction: one (1) day from the canvas date is 10% penalty; two (2) days from the canvas date is 25% penalty; or three (3)  days from the canvas date is 50% penalty. Assignments submitted after 11:59pm on a due date of Friday is considered late if turned in at 12:00am on Saturday and will be considered 1 day late until Monday 11:59pm. Assignments will not be accepted after 3 business days.  

However, this does not apply to class participation-based assignments. Participation is due by the time listed on Canvas and can not be turned in late or made up.

Requirements for make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found on UF's Attendance Policies (Links to an external site.) website.

Grade reviews or regrading must be requested within one week of a grade being posted.  After one week, no grade will be revisited. 

You are responsible for observing all posted due dates and are encouraged to be self-directed and take responsibility for your learning.

Each team member will score their team members and themselves. They are to provide a rating and justification for the rating.  A team member who has an average peer evaluation score of 70-79.9 will receive a 15% penalty for the associated assignments within that sprint. A team member who has an average peer evaluation score of less than 70 will receive a penalty determined by the professor of the course considering the evaluated contribution and justification provided by their team members. Peer evaluations must be completed to receive a peer evaluation score.

Students should arrange for project help and grade questions during office hours with the TA or professor. **Do not send email to, send private messages to, or “@” instructors or TAs about grades.

For matters directed to the professor, email the professor directly. 

Functionality is key to success in software development and computer science, so it is extremely important that the guidelines are followed. Failure to follow these instructions will result in penalties.

• Github repository project are to be made public.
• Add the professor and your peer mentor to your github repository.
• Code must compile / run in debug and release mode. Debug information should never be released in the final version of a software project. Projects that do not compile AND run will be graded accordingly.
• Include only those files specified by the documents in your archive. Projects should have no directory structure except as explicitly mentioned in the documentation (i.e., relevant files and folders should be submitted in the root of the zip file.) It should be possible to open the archive, copy your files directly into the project, compile, and then run the project without further steps. If the project has naming or organization error(s), its grade will be zero.

Here are the items that go in each grading category:

Grades will not be rounded.

NOTE: A C- will not be a qualifying grade for critical tracking courses. In order to graduate, students must have an overall GPA and an upper-division GPA of 2.0 or better (C or better). Note: an average of C- is equivalent to a GPA of 1.67 and therefore does not satisfy this graduation requirement. For more information on grades and grading policies, please consult the catalog.

See the current UF grading policies for more information.

Students with disabilities requesting accommodations should first register with the Disability Resource Center (Links to an external site.) (352-392-8565) by providing appropriate documentation. Once registered, students will receive an accommodation letter that must be presented to the instructor when requesting accommodation. Students with disabilities should follow this procedure as early as possible in the semester.

UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge, which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code." On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment." The Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code (Links to an external site.) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.

The Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code (Links to an external site.) states that:

"A Student must not represent as the Student’s own work all or any portion of the work of another. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

• Stealing, misquoting, insufficiently paraphrasing, or patch-writing.
• Self-plagiarism, which is the reuse of the Student’s own submitted work, or the simultaneous submission of the Student’s own work, without the full and clear acknowledgment and permission of the Faculty to whom it is submitted.
• Submitting materials from any source without proper attribution.
• Submitting a document, assignment, or material that, in whole or in part, is identical or substantially identical to a document or assignment the Student did not author."

All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use.  Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator.  Because such violations are also against University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.  We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to uphold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.

Remember that your password is the only thing protecting you from pranks or more serious harm.

• Don't share your password with anyone.
• Change your password if you think someone else might know it.
• Always log out when you are finished using the system.

When communicating online:

• Treat the instructor with respect, even via email or in any other online communication.
• Always use your professors’ proper title: Dr. or Prof., or if you are unsure use Mr. or Ms.
• Unless specifically invited, don’t refer to a professor by their first name.
• Use clear and concise language.
• Remember that all college-level communication should have correct spelling and grammar.
• Avoid slang terms such as “wassup?” and texting abbreviations such as “u” instead of “you.”
• Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman and use a size 12 or 14 point font.
• Avoid using the caps lock feature AS IT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS YELLING.
• Limit and possibly avoid the use of emoticons like :) .
• Be cautious when using humor or sarcasm as tone is sometimes lost in an email or discussion post and your message might be taken seriously or be construed as being offensive.
• Be careful with personal information (both yours and others).
• Do not send confidential information via email.

When you send an email to your instructor, teaching assistant, or classmates:

• Use a descriptive subject line.
• Be brief.
• Avoid attachments unless you are sure your recipients can open them.
• Avoid HTML in favor of plain text.
• Sign your message with your name and return email address.
• Think before you send the email to more than one person. Does everyone really need to see your message?
• Be sure you REALLY want everyone to receive your response when you click, “Reply All.”
• Be sure that the message author intended for the information to be passed along before you click the “Forward” button.

When posting on the discussion board in your online class:

• Check to see if anyone already asked your question and received a reply before posting to the discussion board.
• Remember your manners and say please and thank you when asking something of your classmates or instructor.
• Be open-minded.
• If you ask a question and many people respond, summarize all posts for the benefit of the class.
• When posting:
  • Make posts that are on-topic and within the scope of the course material.
  • Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying.
  • Be as brief as possible while still making a thorough comment.
  • Don’t repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it.
  • Take your posts seriously. Review and edit your posts before sending.
  • Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” You should include why you agree or add to the previous point.
  • If you refer to something that was said in an earlier post, quote a few key lines so readers do not have to go back and figure out which post you are referring to.
  • Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source.
  • If you reply to a classmate’s question make sure your answer is correct, don’t guess.
  • Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own.
  • When you disagree with someone, you should express your differing opinion in a respectful, non-critical way.
  • Do not make personal or insulting remarks.
  • Do not write anything sarcastic or angry, it always backfires.
  • Do not type in ALL CAPS, if you do IT WILL LOOK LIKE YOU ARE YELLING.

When attending a Zoom class or meeting:

• Do not share your Zoom classroom link or password with others.
• Even though you may be alone at home, your professor and classmates can see you! While attending class in your pajamas is tempting, remember that wearing clothing is not optional. Dress appropriately.
• Your professor and classmates can also see what is behind you, so be aware of your surroundings.
• Make sure the background is not distracting or something you would not want your classmates to see.
  • When in doubt use a virtual background. If you choose to use one, you should test the background out first to make sure your device can support it.
  • Your background can express your personality, but be sure to avoid using backgrounds that may contain offensive images and language.
• Mute is your friend, especially when you are in a location that can be noisy. Don’t leave your microphone open if you don’t have to.
• If you want to speak, you can raise your hand (click the “raise hand” button at the center bottom of your screen) and wait to be called upon.

For help with technical issues or difficulties with Canvas, please contact the UF Computing Help Desk at:

• http://helpdesk.ufl.edu
• 352-392-HELP (4357)
• Walk-in: HUB 132

Any requests for make-ups (assignments, exams, etc.) due to technical issues should be accompanied by the ticket number received from the UF Computing Help Desk when the problem was reported to them. The ticket number will document the time and date of the problem. You should email your instructor within 24 hours of the technical difficulty if you wish to request a make-up.

• U Matter, We Care: If you or someone you know is in distress, please email umatter@ufl.edu, call 352-392-1575, or visit U Matter We Care to refer or report a concern, and a team member will reach out to the student in distress.
• Counseling and Wellness Center: Visit the UF Counseling & Wellness Center website or call 352-392-1575 for information on crisis services and non-crisis services.
• Student Health Care Center: Call 352-392-1161 for 24/7 information to help you find the care you need, or visit the UF Student Health Care Center website.
• University Police Department: Visit the UF Police Department website or call 352-392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies).
• UF Health Shands Emergency Room/Trauma Center: For immediate medical care in Gainesville, call 352-733-0111, or go to the emergency room at 1515 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608; Visit the UF Health Shands Emergency Room/Trauma Center website.